City Academy for Youth

The City of Minneapolis invites you to bring your questions and meet your local government with City Academy for Youth.

Participants will learn about City government, finances, mental health, affordable housing and Minneapolis’s youth employment opportunities from presentations by the Health Department, 911, Police, Community Planning and Economic Development and Civil Rights. The series will conclude with a meet-and-greet with local elected leaders.

Neighborhoods 2020 Update

During the week of August 1, Neighborhoods 2020 work groups began their biweekly meetings, and NCR's Neighborhoods 2020 project lead established office hours at locations all around the City to answer questions about work groups' progress. All work group meetings and office hours are open to the public.

You can now view the work group and office hours calendar and stay up to date on locations and materials on the Neighborhoods 2020 webpage: Minneapolismn.gov/ncr/2020

Pictured: June 2020 Work Group Orientation

City Council approves move to amend City Charter language regarding Police Department

The City Council approved language for a proposed ballot question to amend the Minneapolis City Charter related to the authority over the Minneapolis Police Department. City Council also approved sending that language to the Charter Commission for consideration as required by State law.

The Charter Commission has up to 150 days to take up the matter. When it does, commissioners have three courses of action: approve the proposal, reject that proposal or offer a substitute proposal. Their recommendation then goes back to the City Council for a vote.

Once the City Council receives the Charter Commission’s recommendation, the City Council has until August 24 to submit the final ballot language onto the November 6 general election ballot.

The ballot language approved by the City Council reads as follows:

Shall the Minneapolis City Charter be amended to remove from the Mayor complete power over the establishment, maintenance, and command of the police department, and to provide instead that such power over the police department be shared between the Mayor and City Council, as provided for other charter departments?

National Farmers Market Week August 4-11

The City of Minneapolis passed a resolution recognizing August 5-11 as Farmers Market Week in Minneapolis. August is a time of abundant local produce at the markets, and many markets are hosting fun family activities.

Farmers markets serve as important sources of healthy food for residents, economic engines for local farmers and food producers, and vital community gathering spaces in Minneapolis.

City settles with McDonald’s to pay workers $20,000 owed under minimum wage ordinance.

The City of Minneapolis has entered into an agreement with a McDonald’s franchise at 210 E. Lake St. to ensure workers are paid more than $20,000 in back wages and penalties owed under the City’s minimum wage ordinance after being alerted to the problem by community partners.

The Civil Rights Department will conduct a training for managers at the fast food restaurant, including a separate round table discussion with owners, managers and workers, creating a mediated, open space for all to discuss workplace concerns.

Any voter can vote early; no reason is needed. Early in-person voting is
convenient. You can also vote early (by absentee ballot) by mail. Absentee ballot applications are available at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/absentee and may be submitted
anytime throughout the year.

Saturday hours for the Early Vote Center begin August 4 to vote in the primary election. For hours and answers to other questions, visit vote.minneapolismn.gov. Read more...

Eat Street Food, Music & Arts Festival

The Whittier
Alliance Neighborhood Organization is organizing the inaugural Eat Street Food,
Music, & Arts Festival, the ultimate
celebration of the Whittier neighborhood. The festival will take place
Saturday, September 15, 2018, from 1-9pm, on Nicollet Avenue between 25th -
27th Streets.

Live music, performances, international fare, and activities from
the neighborhood’s many arts and cultural organizations will collectively
reflect and celebrate who and what Whittier is at its heart.

For Neighborhoods

Become an NCEC commissioner!

If you are passionate about good government and effective engagement, consider serving on the Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC). We are currently seeking a commissioner to represent the following neighborhoods by August 31:

Armatage

Cedar-Isles-Dean

East Harriet Farmstead

Tangletown

Fulton

Kenny

Linden Hills

Lynnhurst

West Calhoun

Windom

Board diversity surveys coming this fall

We strive to have members on neighborhood and appointed boards and commissions that reflect the demographics of the people in our city. If you serve on the board of a Minneapolis neighborhood organization or on an appointed advisory board or commission, NCR will request that you complete a short diversity survey this fall to help us measure our progress. You can view the results of the 2016 surveys here.

Minneapolis Connects is published by the City of Minneapolis Neighborhood and Community Relations department (NCR). If you have stories or community events that should be included in next month's edition, email rebekah.tedrick-moutz@minneapolismn.gov.

For questions, accommodations or alternative formats, please contact Neighborhood and Community Relations at 612-673-3737 or email us at ncr@minneapolismn.gov. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.